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J. J. FINLEY.

BURIAL CASE. No. 320,861. Patente-d June 23, 1885.

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4NITED STATES PATENT rrrcE..

JONAS J. FINLEY, OF NEW CARLISLE, INDIANA, ASSIGNOE OF ON EHALF TO GRANVILLE S. DULINER, OF SAME PLACE.

BURIAL-CASE.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 320,861, dated June23, 1885.

Application tiled April 7, 1885. (No model.)

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, J oNAs J. FINLEY, a citizen of the United States, residing at New Carlisle, in the county of St. Joseph and State of 5 Indiana, have invented certain new and useful l Improvements in Burial-Vaults, and I do here by declare that the following is a full, clear, and exact description of the invention, which will enable others skilled in the art to which it appertains to make and use the same, reference being had to the accompanying drawings, which form a part of this specification, and in which- Figure 1 is a perspective View of my invention. Fig. 2 is a longitudinal sectional view. Fig. 3 is a cross-sectional view through the line om of Fig. 1, and Fig. 4 is a like sectional View showing a modification.

rlhe same letters referto similar parts in all 2O the drawings.

My invention has relation to burial-vaults, and has for its object the providing of a secure and permanent protection for the burial-casket and its contents, and it consists of the improved construction of the same, as follows:

In the accompanying drawings, A represents the box part of the vault, weighing, perhaps, three hundred pounds, and B represents the lid or cover, weighing, perhaps, two hundred pounds. The material used in the construction of the vault is a concrete composed of Port-land cement and sand; or it may be made of asbestus, amianthus, or any other plastic and imperishable material. Across the bottom of the 3 5 box, on the inside, are ribs C, upon which the casket rests, and which add strength to the box. These ribs can be made of the same material as the box; or they may be of any other suitable material, and placed in position when the 4o box is being molded or castf Extending down the corners of the box areftriangular fillets D, the tops of which are beveled to a point and project above the sides of the box, as shown in dotted line in Fig. 2. By having thev tops of these fillets beveled they act as guides for the cover while it is being lowered into place, so that it doesnot require such exact adjustment as would be necessary if they were not beveled, and after the cover is in place all lateral motion is prevented by them. Across the in- 5o ner under side of the cover are two ribs, E, which serve the double purpose of adding strength to the cover, and of allowing transverse slots F to be molded in the cover, by means of which it can be lowered into position. These ribs permit the slots to be made far enough down the sides to prevent the material above the straps from breaking out with the weight of the cover, and at the same time they prevent the holes extending into the inside of 6o the box, thus leaving the inside ofthe box and cover intact.

As a modification of my invention, I use two sets of rollers, G, one at each slot, and which work on pintles H. Said rollers and pintles are placed in position when the cover is being made, and are thus firmly molded in their places. The object of the rollers is to allow the lowering-straps to be the more readily removed, and also to prevent them from break- 7o ing off the upper edges of the slots as the cover is being lowered.

From the foregoing description it will be seen that my invention provides aburial-vault that is imperishable, as it becomes harder with age. It is light enough to be portable, and at the same time it is heavy and solid enough to prevent any violation of the grave. As the only entrance or opening into the vault is around under the cover, which can be made virtually impervious to moisture, the contents of the casket Will remain unchanged for ages, and being thus secured from contact with the earth the abhorrence to sepulture is removed, and consequently the more repugnant idea to some people of cremation is rendered unnecessary.

Having thus described my invention, I claim and desire to secure by Letters Patentl. In a burial-vault composed of a concrete substance, a suitable box and a cover for the same, the top of which is provided with transverse ribs upon its inner side, each of said ribs having a slot passing longitudinally through it and through the sides of the cover, substantially as and for the purpose set forth.

2. In aburial-vault composed of a concrete substance, a suitable box, a cover for the saule, the inner under si de of which is provided with ribs, each of said ribs having a transverse slot passing through it, and euch of said slots being provided upon its upper surface with a series of rollers, substantially as and for the purpose set forth.

In testimony that I claim the foregoing as my own I have hereunto :Lfxed my signature in presence of two Witnesses.

JONAS J. FINLEY.

l Vituesses:

J. N. VAIL,

F. E. THOMSON.V 

